Derek switched the channel on the television, taking a last glance at the living room's clock. He tilted his head and took a peek into the kitchen. Ever since the both of them have retired at an early age, putting Bailey as the new Chief of Surgery and Isobel Stevens as the Head of Neonatal, Addison had taken up cooking, her skills improving and slowly, becoming better than her husband's. The both of them have decided that they have both earned enough money to last them the entire life time and decided to stop work in order to spend more time together as a family.
"You sure you don't need help?" Derek yelled from the living room. Addison peeked out from the kitchen with a smile.
"No. I know it's an excuse for you to come in so you can steal food before dinner is ready." she said, then popping back into the kitchen. At the sound of the oven, she pulled out the tray with three chicken breasts, laying them on the table with a clink. With a chopstick, she placed them neatly in the centre of each plate.
After laying the table, she peeled off the thick gloves, now used to the feel of it compared to the surgical gloves she had worn most of her life, and placed them onto the kitchen's counter.
"It's done." she said, hearing the silencing of the television as her husband pushed himself off the couch.
Derek placed the remote neatly into its holder and slotted the magazine back under the low table. He turned to the stairs and tilted his head up.
"Kaelin! Dinner's ready!" he called out cheerfully. In the next moment, a five year old girl came bouncing down the stairs, her red hair tied in two ponytails. She was already changed, wearing a white and pink spaghetti strapped top and blue jeans.
"Yay!" she cheered, leaping straight into Derek's open arms. He carried his daughter to the dining room, placing her down on the chair gently as he leaned towards Addison, giving her a quick kiss on her lips.
"You're going to spoil her." Addison laughed, referring to Derek's act of carrying their daughter to the kitchen. At that, Derek pouted playfully.
"Aww Addie, can't I show a little affection to our daughter? Or are you jealous?" he teased. Kaelin dug her spoon into the whipped potato and giggled at her father's expression.
"I love Daddy's hugs." she said, hoping that it would help Derek the least bit. Addison raised her eyebrows dramatically at her daughter.
"Oh? Well then I'll have to make Daddy hug me more often." she said, sliding down into her chair. When she saw her daughter pushing the baby carrots and broccoli away to the side of her plate, she glared at her warningly.
"Eat your veggies, Kaelin." she said, only getting a tongue stuck out from her daughter's mouth. Addison sighed, turning to Derek.
"She definitely got that from you."
Taking a cue of that he was suppose to help, Derek turned to his daughter and pushed the vegetables back into the centre of her plate.
"Now now, Kae, if you want to be as beautiful as your Mommy, you'll have to eat those." he coaxed. Kaelin took a glance up at Addison, then unwillingly, shove the carrots into her mouth.
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After dinner, the Shepherds walked hand in hand towards the playground in the park, their daughter standing in between them. It was almost 7 in the evening, thebright bluesky has dimmed into a light shade of lavendar. Derek had put on a white shirt and faded blue jeans while Addison slipped on a white dress. Nearing the playground, Kaelin broke contact with her parents and rushed straight towards the swing, joining the other random kids at at play. Derek slided his arm around Addison's waist and gave her a peck on her cheek, smiling at the sight of their daughter laughing happily.
"She's beautiful." Addison commented, waving back when Kaelin turned around to give a wave to their parents.
"Yea, like you." he whispered into her ear with a smile. Addison let out a laugh, leaning down on her husband's shoulder as they watch the five year old bounce around the playground.
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Twenty minutes later, a still-hyper five year old girl charged at her parents, diving straight into mother's embrace, then wrapping her arms around her father's neck and pulling him to her to give him a wet kiss on his cheek.
"Ready to go?" Addison asked, brushing the red hair that stuck to her daughter's sweaty forehead. Kaelin nodded, letting herself down to the floor. Taking each of their hands in hers as they walked back home, Kaelin looked up to her mother with a smile.
"I wanna be just like Mommy." she said, then turn to her father. "And I wanna marry someone like Daddy."
At that, Derek and Addison shared a laugh.
"I'm sure you would." Derek smiled.
And they made it.